Why the work of the Marrakech Partnership is vital beyond 2020
The We Mean Business coalition
As the latest UN Environment Programme’s Emissions Gap report underlines, the need to rapidly decarbonize the global economy has never been more urgent. Time is running out to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change.
Yet, as the report shows, limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5ºC is still within reach – if we act quickly and decisively, together. We need unprecedented collaboration between governments, businesses, cities and civil society to accelerate the just transition to a fair and climate-resilient economy.
Businesses all around the world and from all sectors stand behind the science and are ready to back governments to push for greater climate action and more ambitious climate policies.
Earlier this year in the European Union, CEOs from more than 50 businesses, investors and business networks called on the EU to endorse a long-term decarbonization strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. In the US, over 75 businesses met with a bipartisan group of US federal lawmakers to call on Congress to pass meaningful climate legislation, including a price on carbon. And just this week in Japan, 126 companies – led by Climate Leaders’ Partnership (JCLP) – sent an open letter to relevant ministers calling on the Japanese government to raise its ambition to align with the Paris Agreement.
Meanwhile, well over 100 leading companies have signed a pledge, committing to cut emissions in line with what science says is necessary to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5ºC and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
The collective ability of forward-looking companies like these and the 1,070+ committed to climate action through the We Mean Business coalition partners’ initiatives, to help transition entire industries, value chains and economies towards the net-zero goal means their voice should be central to the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, was created to enhance collaboration between governments and cities, regions, businesses and investors and give greater visibility and momentum to climate action efforts.
It has proved a crucial platform for bringing the ambition and innovation of business, cities and civil society into the UNFCCC regime. The Marrakech Partnership’s mandate is due to expire at the end of 2020, but the need for collaboration between all actors, to ensure we meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, is more urgent than ever before.
COP25 in Madrid signals a new era in the global fight against climate change: moving beyond the negotiation of rules, to collaboration on ambition and action. Private-public collaboration is vital for global, regional and national responses to climate change.
The 2020 signpost in the Paris Agreement is swiftly approaching. Countries must submit revised nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and long-term strategies, and back those with implementation plans to align with the 1.5-degree goal. Implementing these ambitious objectives will require transformative change across all economic systems, sectors and geographies. We need all of society, from government, to businesses and investors, to cities, regions and academia, to drive deep, transformational actions on climate change.
This is without a doubt the most urgent and defining challenge of our time.
As we support countries’ efforts to draw up clear and ambitious plans for how they will transition their economies towards a net-zero future, the continued genuine engagement of businesses, investors, and civil society in finding and pursuing solutions will be as important as ever.
The WMB coalition, its partners and committed companies are at COP25 to share their stories of science-based climate action and commitment, and to explain what policies they need governments to implement to raise the collective bar on global climate action and ambition.
Governments can take advantage of the opportunity to interact with private sector representatives, to talk about their motivations and plans on climate, as well as what policies are needed to give them clarity and confidence and drive ambition loops. Specifically, representatives can engage with the Marrakech Partnership stakeholders and events, including at the Global Climate Action High-level Event on Wednesday, 11 December.
With the importance of public-private dialogue and collaboration to implement climate action only set to grow, we encourage the continuation of the UNFCCC’s engagement with the broader world of global climate action beyond 2020.
Strong collaboration with forward-looking businesses will give governments the confidence to deliver clear, ambitious climate policies, which will in turn give businesses the certainty to invest in creating the zero-carbon future.
By working together we can create a net-zero carbon economy that leaves no-one behind, by 2050 at the latest.